Dolphins Owner: 'Marhsall Would Have Been Cut'

(WSCR) According to a report, had the Dolphins not found a trading partner for wide receiver Brandon Marshall, the team was prepared to cut him.

The Dolphins had a rather tumultuous off season, missing out on head coach Jeff Fisher and free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning. The two losses caused an outrage from Dolphins fans, which culminated at a fan protest outside Dolphins headquarters.

The protest caused team owner Steve Ross to call one protester, 20-year season ticket holder Jason Lawrence, to give an explanation for team's recent moves, the Sun-Sentinel reports. It was during that phone call that the Dolphins owner admitted the team was ready to release Marshall.

"[Ross] said they had been shopping (Marhsall) for a couple weeks," Lawrence told the newspaper. "Nobody would return their phone calls about getting him. If Chicago didn't take (Marshall) … they would have ended up cutting him very shortly after that, and got nothing."

Ultimately, the Bears agreed to send two third-round draft picks to Miami for the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.

At the NFL meetings on Monday, Ross responded to the report.

"That's in the past," he told the Chicago Tribune. "That's history. It's behind us. It's a trade. He wasn't cut. We got fair value and we think the football team is better for it."